August 28, 2012

Jerry Jones says Cowboys have not created special rules for Bryant

Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones declined during a Tuesday radio appearance to offer specifics about reports of off-the-field rules related to receiver Dez Bryant. At one point, he answered “no” when asked if the team had created the rules, which have been widely reported by media members.

“I’m not so sure where the media has come up with detail of this nature,” Jones said Tuesday on KRLD-FM, 105.3 The Fan. “Fundamentally, Dez does _ and I’m convinced _ want to do many things that give him the opportunity to get on track the way he needs to, both on and off the field.

“I think any of this talk or any of these references to what he’s going to be doing or what he is not going to be doing, in general, it’s one that would say just let’s conform to good behavior, the kind of behavior that the commissioner expects, that society expects and that anybody expects if you’re going to get the opportunities you are. He does believe he has a great opportunity.

“We’re fully supportive of him, his family, his mother. We want to do anything in that direction that we can. As far as specifics of rules, I think just rules that let him concentrate on what he’s doing on the field and let him do his work and not have the distractions of not doing it right off the field.”

It has been reported that Bryant is not allowed to drink, has a midnight curfew, can’t visit strip clubs, must attend counseling, must be driven to and from practice and must have a security escort.

The Dallas County district attorney’s office still could pursue misdemeanor family violence charges against Bryant stemming from a July 14 incident against his mother, Angela. In addition, the NFL still could punish Bryant for his off-field actions.

Jones declined to answer Tuesday when asked if the so-called “Dez Rules” had been created by Bryant’s adviser David Wells.

“I’m not going to discuss any of the rules because that implies that there are a certain set of rules and I don’t know that that’s correct, either,” Jones said. “So, really, just by the nature of it, it’s not one you would really discuss. We have rules of behavior in the NFL. We have rules of behavior with the Cowboys as well. I’m not so sure there’s been any new rule created here.”

Asked about consequences for Bryant if he fails to follow NFL standards, Jones said: “Well, I think it’s pretty clear. We’ve got behavior rules in the NFL that have been made very clear by the commissioner’s office. And I think it’s real clear that if you don’t abide by the rules of society what happens. All of those are answers that any adult deals with every day.”

Jones stressed that Bryant’s off-field issues have not surprised team officials.

“There have been absolutely no surprises for us with Dez,” Jones said. “There are no surprises here.”